Small tea growers decries government apathy

KOKRAJHAR:  The small tea growers of the state have been deprived from getting genuine prices while selling green leaves due to lack of own production factories in the state.The tea growers have exhorted the state government as well BTAD administration to provide financial aid for setting up of tea production factories for self-reliance of the tea farmers.  A joint sitting of the All Bodoland Small Tea Growers’ Association and Small Tea Growers’ Council,Assam was held at DICC conference hall in Kokrajhar on Friday with Jousrang Boro,president of the association in the chair.Tea growers, members both from association and council across the state  participated and discused about the daily wages for labour and their welfare initiatives which are to be paid from the concern growers. The sitting emphasized that small tea growers are coming from root of own investment, self labour as well management by making own responsibility. There are nearly 3 lakh small tea growers across the state and four districts of BTAD region have over ten thousand small tea growers. Lakhs of labours are working in the small tea growers across the state and they are earning their livelihood. Presently,the small tea growers are offering Rs.135-150 per day as daily wage. The small tea growers alleged that due to lack of production facilities,the tea growers are deprived from getting genuine prices of green leaves.Presently, tea producers are getting only Rs.13-15 per kg green leaf which is not sufficient to run a small tea grower unit. Some time,tea growers have to face severe crisis and problems due to unsold green leaves because some time concerned tea estates refuses to buy the green leaves.President of All Bodoland Small Tea Grower’s Association, Jousrang Boro and General Secretary of the Small Tea Growers’ Council,Assam Diganta Phukan told the media persons that the small tea growers are self labour and man!gers, so they have no sufficient labours in their respective unit. The grower units are running with basic ifrastructure,they exhorted the government to extend financial aid to the tea growers and open up entrepreneurship oppurtunities for them.